Note v. 128 — A. PERSIUS FLACCUS (continued 2)

128. sordidus: ‘low creature,’ ‘dirty dog.’ Himself vulgar, he can not understand refinement of manners or attire.—qui possit: Casaubon reads poscit to match gestit. But Indicative and Subjunctive may well be combined, the former of a fact, the latter of a characteristic: ‘a man who— and a man to—.’ So in the famous line: sunt qui non habeant, est qui non curat habere, Hor., Ep., 2, 2, 182.—lusce: ‘Old One-eye’ (Conington). The lowness of the wit is evident. In v. 56 the poet appears to break his own rule, but baldness and corpulence are in his eyes badges of vice, not simple misfortunes.